As a child of the '80s, I was more into He-Man's twin sister, She-Ra (Princess of Power), than G.I. Joe.
Still, I was struck by the news that in a forthcoming film version, the "real American hero" will work not for the U.S. military but what sounds like a cartoonized United Nations force:
"Paramount has confirmed that in the movie, the name G.I. Joe will become an acronym for 'Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity' — an international, coed task force charged with defeating bad guys. It will no longer stand for government issued, as in issued by the American government," Fox News reported here.
According to London's Telegraph, the G.I. Joe character was created as a comic strip for U.S. military publications during World War II.
Traditionally, he battled America's neo-Nazi enemies, Cobra. In the film, the evil terrorist organization will be an arms-dealing syndicate headed by a Scot.
The movie, which is scheduled to go into production next year, is due in 2009.
I'm sure we'll hear more on Joe's new image from horrified comic book fans and conservative commentators alike.
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